From working in a shoe factory to selling tea by roaming around barefoot: The Kapil Sharma Show fame Sudesh Lehri recalls his rags to riches story

Actor and comedian Sudesh Lehri bared his heart out about how he grew up selling tea, vegetables, kulfi and doing several odd jobs to reach where he is now. In Maniesh Paul’s podcast, the comedian spoke about his struggle story, never attending school, his slap incident with Krushna Abhishek and much more.

I came from a poor background. There was no opportunity to study. I would do small odd jobs since my childhood. I have worked in factories, at tea stalls. I used to make tea but mere ghar pe chai nahi banti thi. So, when I would make tea, carry 5-6 cups in one hand and carry kettle in another hand, walk barefoot to the factory to give tea, I would sneak around in a corner, have a cup of tea myself, wash the glass and then go. This was our condition. I have worked in sweet shops, slippers factory. I have sold kulfi, vegetables as well. That actually was a practical workshop for me as an actor. While selling kulfi, vegetables…we had to act. I have never been to school. I do miss it.

I liked singing and I was working in an orchestra. I would sing at weddings. I would notice the anchor, the announcer on mic and mimic them. I would mimic legendary singers. People started liking me for my mimicry skills and I realised that. So I continued doing that.

I would watch 4 films in a theatre in a day for Rs 1.10 paise. But I had no money then. So, I would stand in the line and collect 10 paise from people saying, ‘I am just short of 10paise’. They would give me. That’s how I bought tickets. I travelled to Vaishno Devi and saw Hema Malini in person. I saw people surrounding her for autographs. I would tell my friends to surround me like that. So they would mockingly click photos of me and other people would come to click photo of me. That’s how we would have fun. Then I watched Asrani’s film – Chala Murari Hero Banne. So that character was doing odd jobs and goes to Mumbai to become a hero. I felt, it reflected my personality and even I should go to Mumbai. I later narrated this incident to Asrani ji.

I would get Rs 1000 for a show as a singer in orchestra. I would do 25-30 shows. I was happy, I had kids as I was married by then. Once I was singing and there was drunkard, who came and slapped me. I was shocked. I came back to the green room and felt like crying. I started questioning my existence and life. The band wanted to seek revenge. I just wanted to leave that life. I went home and told my life that I won’t sing in orchestra again. I wanted to become someone and go as a celebrity. I arranged for money through committee, donations and brought out a cassette. I took me Rs 15-20k. It was super hit. And then I worked on more such cassettes and started getting work from music labels. I was told to attend some audition in Chandigarh and got a show name ‘Alpha gaddi’. I was told I would be given Rs 1500 per episode and had to complete four episodes shoot in Delhi. I was told I might be earning less but I will get more shows. I travelled the entire world before I could reach Mumbai.

I did a lot of films in Punjab, meri kothi (home) ban gayi, I had a car. I thought my life is made as by then I was known name in Punjab. Then I got to know of these comedy shows in Mumbai. One young guy from Laughter Challenge came and showed me my place. He told me, ‘Nobody knows you beyond this.’ I was quite angry. Then he said that if not me, he will scout for talent in Punjab and then I would regret my decision. I put in a lot of conditions and threw starry tantrums thinking they would reject me. But shockingly, they agreed. I just had to show my talent. Kapil Sharma was there, Chandan was there. They all loved me. I saw them enjoying and I would be sitting in a corner like a star. But I thought of joining them. In the final, Kapil, Chandan and I were standing. I was eyeing the second spot – winning amount was Rs 5 lakh. When they announced 2nd runner-up I was happy but then I realised it was the third position and I just got the trophy. Kapil had it in him since then. He had no airs. He respects me still the same. I learnt there’s no one small or popular. Hardwork is the only key.

On being complimented about his daughter’s singing skills, Sudesh says, “She came first in Indian Idol – outside. She knows nothing is going to happen, so he has accepted. But she has worked hard. She has worked so hard that she’s left Neha Kakkar behind. Neha travels in a car, she gets stuck. My daughter swiftly goes ahead in her cycle. But she is learning.”

The actor got married at the age of 16 years and shared, “My wife doesn’t understand English and I am not allowed to joke in the house. I vent out my frustration in English because she doesn’t understand.” He goes on to add, “I had a hate marriage. Mujhe pyaar nhi hua. Toh hate marriage and I say it proudly. Sometimes even hate marriages run smoothly. That time, wo free me mil gayi. Aaj ke zamane me kitna kharch hai batao. When I got married, I was very young. I was playing in orchestra. So they thought I might get married elsewhere. She was in our acquaintances. One day I got frustrated and told them I will get married. My family got her from a wedding, which she was attending. They took us to a temple and we got married in presence of just a few people.”

I had always been very jealous seeing you (Maniesh) and Krushna. Just to recall the incident. Had he not slapped me then, he wouldn’t have become this famous. So, I would often forget lines. Krushna would sense it and slapped me on stage saying, ‘Abbe saale’ and people would laugh. He would call up Kashmera and say ‘Kaash mujhe comedy karni agayi’. He thought this is comedy and he still does that. So, he slapped me once and kept repeating it. I had to give excuses at home and ran out of excuses. My image became of getting slapped like that. I told Krushna to just act out the slap from a distance. He would say, ‘Sir aap artist ho. Wahi hamari identity hai’. Then when he kept continuing the slaps, I started slapping him too on stage with no prior intimation. Finally, the slaps stopped.

When we came from Punjab to Mumbai, I hardly had Rs 1500-1600 in my pocket. Now by God’s grace I have Rs. 2 crore loan. It was Krushna, who pestered me to buy a car, house and I got stuck with such a loan. But it is good that when you buy things with a loan, you have to work hard to clear the amount. You don’t feel proud.

Due to my lack of knowledge in English, I would have to discuss my own payment as there was no manager back then. So, I had asked for Rs fifteen thousand. I got confused between ‘teen’ and ‘ty’. So after the show when they paid me the amount, I demanded Rs 50K. But they told me I had asked for Rs 15K. I realised I had made the mistake and just joked about the payment. I didn’t want to tell them that I didn’t know English.